India jails two CJP protest leaders for five days
Bbc · 3 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Two senior leaders of India’s youth-led Cockroach Janta Party were remanded to five days in judicial custody after being arrested over a protest action at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Tuesday. Police said the pair climbed a locked gate or crossed barricades to enter the site, which had recently been removed from Delhi’s list of authorised protest venues and had been sealed off for days. The arrests came as the CJP, student groups and opposition parties intensified protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of vote fraud and voter roll manipulation, which the Election Commission denies.
Key Points
- Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka appeared before a magistrate on Wednesday and were remanded to five days in judicial custody by Delhi’s Special Executive Magistrate Court
- Police accused Das, Ranka and fellow activist Ajinkya Shinde of trespassing, breaching a peace bond, violating prohibitory orders and obstructing public officials
- Shinde was released on a personal bond, while Das and Ranka were told they could seek bail from a higher court
- Delhi Police said the two leaders, aged 27 and 30, were detained after allegedly making repeated attempts to disturb public peace and violate the law
- Police also said social media posts allegedly encouraging others to carry out similar unlawful actions were considered in the decision to detain them
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the case shows how disputes over election administration can quickly widen into a broader confrontation over protest rights, policing and political legitimacy. It also underlines how the status of a symbolic protest venue such as Jantar Mantar can become central when authorities tighten controls on public assembly.